A family's story

Posts tagged ‘yearoftheoxygenmask’

In general, February, to me, is like the stinky armpit of the year. The area of the country where we live is often cold, gray, and unforgiving. We don’t get outside much, and my family always seems to come down with a bad cold or flu. It feels like the month’s purpose is to suck the lifeblood out of a person.

Last week was particularly stifling. Cole and Tate were hit hard by the latest virus…which I still maintain Cole picked up while “munching” on the play vegetables in our library’s play kitchen. They hacked, sneezed, coughed, and snorted through the week. I kept Tate home one day. Cole missed his play group and sport class. At night, Hubz and I juggled their wakings. I couldn’t escape them or their germs.

On Saturday, despite feeling fairly crummy, I showered, got dressed up…well, as dressed up as a SAHM going out to dinner with her friends gets, and forced myself to have a night away from my kids and their germs. Luckily I had a very supportive hubby who told me point blank, “get out!”

We had a nice dinner. We talked. We laughed. We cringed. We sighed. It was wonderful to just be with 2 women who know me so well. It was a welcome respite from the walls that felt like they were closing in on me the few hours prior to seeing my friends.

When I came home, I felt renewed, recharged. I went to bed feeling hopeful and ready to tackle new obstacles that would arise in the morning. Of course, those obstacles arose at 2 am with Tate. He couldn’t sleep. He had a cough. He was scared, of what I don’t know, but he kept repeating that script.

I finally got Tate back to sleep by 3:30. Between his hogging the bed, and Hubz’s snoring due to his cold, I was held hostage as my mind started wander. I couldn’t shut it off. A little later I took refuge in Tate’s empty room..and slept there until 8 am.

It felt good to sleep in. I felt the cold in my throat and sinuses, but at least I had gotten some sleep. Hubz handled breakfast and the kids. He was energized because we were getting out of the house together that afternoon. His parents were coming to watch the boys while we went to a chili cookoff for charity. We were meeting my sister K and our brother-in-law, JP, too.

The 5 hours we were out were great. We laughed, we joked, we caught up. We talked about non-child things. We got to use sarcasm and innuendo. We got to be Lisa & Hubz…not Jake, Tate and Cole’s mom & dad. It felt great to be just a couple.

When we got back home the boys seemed happy and relaxed. Hubz’s mom said they were all quite well behaved. She praised Jake for his helpfulness. I was just glad that they were well enough behaved for Hubz’s parents. Whew!

I need to get out and get away like this. It helps sustain me during the crummy parts of the month…when we’re sick, tired, and bored. I am so lucky to have been able to get out and have a breathe of fresh air…and to be “me” for a few hours during an otherwise non-stellar month.